The Irony of a Broken Humerus

So this past Saturday evening, the phone rings and Rye gets it. It's his mother who goes to tell him that she didn't want me to feel so alone, so on the way to Walmart to grab coffee, she trips over her feet and falls, and yes:

Breaks her humerus bone in her arm.

We had friends over. Actually, it was a deju vu in a bad way kind of week because a friend in the group here had died tragically and suddenly..and this was the brother of the friend of Rye's that killed himself less than three years ago. So in mourning, folks were gathering together at my house..and because as it is said "That's how we roll".. much drinking was ensuing. That said, by time Rye is telling me the situation with his mom,, and of course, it's her left arm too.. I am practically peeing in my pants. I mean, I KNOW it's not FUNNY, but it kind of HAS to be.. just a little bit.

I mean what are the odds that this weird un funny humerus bone to break.. and for my husband.. both his wife AND mother crack it??

Granted her break is different than my humerus fracture. She broke the upper shoulder joint and then managed to fracture all through the shaft. The other major difference, she HAS insurance.

So while I broke MY arm in October of 2007 and it's STILL BROKEN, she had hers surgically repaired today.

Now, before y'all start yelling at me about how the system sucks , which it does, and there must be something I can do, you're right.. and I have!

I have been deemed by the great state of New York to be worth of insurance!!

At this time, I am just waiting for the process and my new insurance cards. I was told it would be about three months. After a year and a half, three months more is nothing. After all, I have proven that there is really very few things that I cannot really do with a broken arm. Yes, I hear the bones click. Yes, I have a third elbow. Yes, I can gross people out, but I can also, drive, vacuum, do laundry, cook dinner, and type. My concern right now is that I can schedule this surgery between a social media conference in NY in June and the Adoptee Rights Protest in July. And that they don't cut into my tattoo. The neat part is that my MIL is going to the doctor that has already been recommended to me and she says he's real good too. Plus, she is the Guinea pig so I know what to expect. Yeah, I am a bit jealous that she will be better before me even with breaking her arm over 18 months later, but hey.. one day, I will be able to raise my arm again.. and before 2010 it look like!

Still, there is a glaring difference on how we medically treat people in this country based on their ability to pay.

That's just sad fact. If I had had insurance during the time of my break, I would have had the surgery at that time too. Now, I have to hope that there is not too much permanent damage. I know I will need much more physical therapy and then, of course, they will have to chip away the over a years worth of bone growth and use bone grafts as well. I will be made of stainless steel and dead people's doner bones. I would have been a cheaper risk back in October of 2007.